Ted Egan

Next year, Australian Outback icon, Ted Egan, AO, is star host on board the 2007 Country Music Express.

"It will be Ted Egan's first official music gig for more than three years and we are delighted to he has chosen the Country Music Express to relaunch his music career," Mr Smith said.

Ted Egan has been Administrator of the Northern Territory since November 2003 and his role ends this November.
The popular music identity, singer, song-writer and folklorist has released 28 albums since 1969 and is currently the official patron of the Year of the Outback.

He will be joined as a Country Music Express host by two times 2006 Golden Guitar nominees, The Sunny Cowgirls.

Other artists include this year's CMAA Achiever Awards Finalist for Independent Entertainer of the Year, Jeanette Wormald as well as western balladeer Peter Pratt, the Cowboy from Japan, Hank Sasaki and regular hosts, Grant Luhrs, JR Williams and Ian Muir.

The train will be carrying 160 passengers plus staff and entertainers to the 2007 Tamworth Country Music Festival.
Next year marks the seventh annual tour, which will attend the Festival from January 20th to 29th.

TED LAUNCHES "THE LAND DOWNUNDER"

from CMAA

THE LATEST book from soon to be Northern Territory Administrator and country music legend Ted Egan will be launched at Victoria's Alfred Park Yacht Club on Wednesday, October 22.

Titled "The Land Downunder" the book is "about the people who have made Australia the colourful, exuberant and modern nation it is. They are convicts, pioneers, explorers, adventurers and entrepreneurs. And they are the first Australians the Aboriginal people. Above all there are women. Ted argues that through its history women have been the real stalwarts of Australian life".

The book has more than 50 illustrations, many of them classics which have seldom or never appeared in print.

There are also the lyrics of many of Ted's best loved songs, like The Drover's Boy, A Song For Grace, God's Police, The Tiger And The Don, The Girl From Botany Bay and I've Been Everywhere, Man.

It was Ted Egan who introduced Rolf Harris to the song Two Little Boys, and Rolf writes a preface to the book, recommending it. "He is a marvellous man", says Rolf of Ted, "a great entertainer with a gift for communication. Ted's knowledge of and empathy for the people who have shaped our land shines through in this book. It will appeal to young and old alike."

The 232-page book has an attractive cover, is printed on high-quality paper and contains a glossary of Australian terms and an extensive reading list.